Twine and tape-feeding attachment for a mattress button-tufter machine



June 25, 1957 E. E BlBY 2,796,842

TWINE AND TAPE-FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR A MATTRESS BUTTON-TUFTER MACHINE Z SheetS-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 4, 1955 INVENTOR- EDWARD E. Bray ATTORNEYS June 25, 1957 E. E. BIBY TWINE AND TAPE-FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR A MATTRESS BUTTON-TUFTER MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 4, 1955 INVENTOR.

E DWARD E. B BY A T TORN EYS United States Patent TWINE AND TAPE-FEEDING A'I'IACHNIENT FOR A MATTRESS BU'ITON-TUFTER MACHINE Edward E. Biby, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application November 4, 1955, Serial No. 545,040

2 Claims. (Cl. 112-3) The present invention relates to improvements in a twine and tape-feeding attachment for a mattress button-tufter machine. It consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In conventional mattress button-tufter machines, it is common practice to piercea mattress at a plurality of spaced-apart points by a reciprocating needle, passing a tufting twine or tape through the mattress during each operation, and securing buttons to the ends of the twine or tape, with'the buttons being arranged on the top and bottom faces of the mattress. I

It is well known that the needle is threaded with the twine or tape, and passes upwardly through the mattress, at which time an upper button is attached to the twine or tape. In its return stroke, the needle normally pulls just sufficient twine or tape from the supply spool for the next operation. Moreover, a knife automatically cuts the twine or tape close to the end of the return stroke of the needle, and then a lower button is attached to the bottom end of the twine or tape. The mattress is then moved by hand to the next position and the operation is repeated.

Such a machine runs continuously while working on each mattress; and it is arranged so that after the attachment of one pair of buttons has been completed, there is an interval long enough to permit the operator to move the mattress to the next position, before the needle again moves upwardly. The operation ofthe machine is stopped by throwing a clutch manuallywhile changing the mattresses.

With good twine or tape, which is not too waxy and properly wound on its spool, and While the spool is relatively full, the machine will operate properly. But, if the twine or tape is too waxy, or does not pull freely from the spool, or the spool is nearly empty, the strain on the twine or tape may then be such that, when it is cut at the end of one operation, the amount of twine or tape is not quite sufficient for the next operation. The result is that this next button-tufting operation is not completed, and the partly attached buttons and twine or tape must be removed by hand before another attempt is made. Rather than take a chance of the twine or tape binding on a nearly-empty spool, some operators change the spool prematurely so that much expensive twine or tape is wasted.

In order to overcome the foregoing deficiencies, and as the cardinal object of this invention, I provide an attachment between the spool and the needle for positively pulling the twine or tape, and affording sufficient slack therein, so that it can pass quite freely to the needle. The attachment includes a pair of strand-pulling members, between which the twine or tape is passed, with these members being turned at the proper speed to maintain sufiicient slack in the twine or tape at all times.

Mattresses come in different thicknesses, and the strandpulling members are actuated so that they run at a speed suflicient to feed twine or tape for the thickest mattresses.

If thinner mattresses are operated on, too much twine may pile up. When the operator notices this, the speed of the strand-pulling members may be changed.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of the invention will be set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

Drawings Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along the vertical plane IVIV of Figure 3 on a larger scale.

While I have shown only the preferred forms of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims, without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description Referring now to the first embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 1, I have shown an automatic button tufter machine, which is designated generally at A, and having my twine and tape-feeding attachment B connected therewith.

The particular type of machine A is well known in the art, and it includes a supporting frame C having a base 10 that is adapted to rest on the floor 11. The driving mechanism is enclosed within the frame, and includes a swingably-supported pitman 12, which is operated by an electric motor 14. This same motor operates other parts of the machine.

As shown in the drawing, a standard 15 is provided at the front of the machine A, and has a lower head 16 mounted on the top thereof, which is adapted to be disposed beneath a mattress D that is to be button-tufted. Moreover, a cantilever arm 17 projects from the frame C to overlie the mattress, and has an upper head 18 at the forward end thereof, which is arranged to be positioned above the mattress.

In its structural features, the tufter machine further includes a vertically arranged reciprocating needle 19, which is guided for up and down movement in the stand ard 15 and lower head 16. This needle is actuated by the pitman 12, and has an eye 20 adjacent its upper pointed end 21. The needle is tubular so that twine or tape B may pass upwardly therethrough, with its free end passing through the eye 20. Broadly speaking, twine and tape may be referred to as a tying strand.

The upper head 18 is provided with a U-shaped compression yoke 22, which is adapted to bedepressed automatically at the point where the needle 19 is to pierce the mattress D. The length of the stroke of this yoke may be regulated. It will be noted that a guide sleeve 23 is provided on the lower end of the yoke 22 through which the needle passes, when the latter is moved upwardly into the upper head 18, as suggested by the dotdash lines. This head has a magazine 24 thereon, which is adapted to supply a top button 25 to the upper'end of a tying strand 26, while the needle 19 projects upwardly beyond the'com-pressed mattress.

This tying strand is provided by a section of the twine or tape E, and is tied by a knot 27 to the top button 25 by conventional mechanism contained within the head 18. During the return stroke of the needle 19, its point 21 descends into the lower head 16. At this time a bottom button 28 is supplied by a magazine 160 on the lower head 16, and this button is tied by a .knot .29 to the lower end of the tying strand. This operation is ,accomplished by mechanism mounted in the lowerhead 16, which is actuated by a rotating shaft 30. A knife 31 in the lower head automatically cuts the twine or tape close to the mattress at the end of the return stroke of the needle. The needle may be raised manually through the mattress by turning ahandwheel 32.

As previously mentioned, the machine A runs continuously while working on each mattress. After the attachment of one pair of buttons 25-28 is accomplished, the operator moves the mattress to the next position prior to the needle 19 moving upwardly again. The operation of the machine may be stopped by actuating a clutchcontrol lever 38, which operates a clutch contained within the frame C. p

All the foregoing structural features and operations of the button tufter machine are well known in the art, and further disclosure thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Returning now to the twine and tape-feeding attachment B, it includes a pair of rotatable strand-pulling members EF, between which the twine or tape E passes on its way from a supply spool 33 tothe needle. One of these members has been diagrammatically connected by a shaft 34 to a variable-speed electric motor 35. As shown in Figure 1, the circuit for running this motor has been provided with a rheostat 36 to vary the speed of the motor. The rheostat is calibrated for mattresses of different thicknesses, as suggested by the legends 6", 7", 8 and 9", and is set by the operator for the particular thickness being worked upon.

It will be quite apparent that if the speed of the motor 35 is changed, a greater or lesser amount of twine or tape will be pulled from the spool 33 by the strandpulling members E-F. When working on a thinner mattress, this motor should run slower than when buttontufting a thicker mattress, in order to avoid piling-up of too much twine or tape E between the spool and the needle. When the operator notices the twine or tape piling up, the rheostat may be adjusted.

, As shown in Figure l, a start-and-stop switch 39 may be actuated by the lever 38 so that when the clutch is engaged, the switch 39 will be closed, thus starting the motor 35 at the same time. Conversely, upon disengaging the clutch, this motor will be stopped.

Some mattress factories use regular twine, which is made out of cotton. Other factories employ waxed tape, while still others use nylon. For this reason, the strandpulling members EF have beenfashioned with gear sections 40 at one end thereof, while rubber rollers 41 are provided on the opposing ends of these strand-pulling members.

When factories employ nylon as the twine or tape B, it should be passed between the gear sections 40 to'prevent it from slipping. The teeth 42 on these gear sections are spaced apart sufiiciently so that they will not damage the nylon twine, but will still pull it positively.

When regular twine or tape is used, it should be passed running, that is, during .the button tuft-ing of each mattress.

The modified attachment includes the same rotatable strand-pulling members -F--F, as previously described, and have been showrras being supported by brackets 43, which are anchored to a plate 44 mounted on the supporting frame C. For the purpose of turning the strandpulling members at variable speeds, the shaft 45 of the upper member hasa lowercone 46 fixed thereto, which is connected by a belt 47 to an upper cone 48, the latter being secured to the shaft 30 previously described. This belt may be shifted lengthwise of the cones by a yoke 49 that is operated by a handle 50, thereby varying the speed of the driving members FF.

Of course, any other suitable variable-speed transmission device may be substituted for the cone and belt connection so as to rotate the strand-pulling members at the desired speed to assure proper slack in the twine or tape between the supply spool 33 and the reciprocating needle. I

I claim:

1. The combination with a mattress button-tufter machine, which includes a vertical reciprocating hollow needle operable to pierce a mattress; the machine being provided with a spool having a supply of mattress-tufting strand material, the strand being threaded through the hollow needle from the lower end thereof; of a strand feeding attachment comprising: a pair of continuously rotatable strand-pulling rollers between which the strand material passes on its way from the spool to the lower end of the hollow needle; and adjustable means for continuously rotating the rollers at a desired speed to feed a sufficient length of the strand material to the lower end of the needle so that there always will be sufiicient slack in the strand material between the continuously rotating rollers and the lower end of the reciprocating needle to preventthe needle from pulling the strand taut between the lower needle end and the rollers.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1: and in which the strand-pulling rollers are provided with cooperating gear-like sections for portions of their lengths for feeding a strand made from nylon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNIT ED STATES PATENTS 421,876 Warren Feb. 18, 1890 2,098,785 Mathewson Nov. 11, 1937 2,189,938 Bussiere Feb. 13, 1940 

